is a10-minute musical journey that follows the river Thames from its origins, as a few drops of water in Wiltshire, to the point where it meets the open sea at Greenwich. Along the way, Hess draws upon many musical links along the Thames, such as an old Wiltshire melody, morris dancing in Oxfordshire, boating songs from Berkshire and street songs in London. With such rich and diverse sources of music across several counties and centuries, this has quite understandably become one of Hess's most popular works to date.

The journey begins at the source of the River Thames at Kemble in Wiltshire - a horn solo introduces the main theme, Through the Groves , an eighteenth-century Wiltshire melody. A cornet fanfare announces the start proper, and the journey moves into Oxfordshire for morros dancing and then to Oxford itself, with, its dreaming spires and steeple bells. Trombones and basses pay tribute to the World Poohsticks Championships befor we reach Henley, and hints of a well-known boating song. We then travel through Windsor to Runneymede, where the Magna Carta was signed in 1215, and on to Hampton Court to hear henry VIII's Greensleeves . The Lass of Richmond Hill is heard through Barnes, where Gustav Holst lived, and hints of Jupiter sound and a tip of the hat to Lambeth as Big ben comes into view. Nostalgically London Bridge is remembered before arriving at Greenwich - starting point of many a heroic voyage. Smelling the sea salt in the air as the journey reaches its end, the Wiltshire melody proudly annouces our arrival at the ocean - the 'Thames Journey' is complete. This arrangement has been recorded by the Leyland Band, conducted by Michael Fowles, and appears on the CD The Alchymist’s Journal .?A sound clip of the piece can be found here Item Code: 0-571-56785-1 Duration: c.9'30"